WILSONVILLE, Ore. -- Mentor Graphics Corporation (NASDAQ:MENT)
today announced that Cambridge Silicon Radio Limited ('CSR'),
a leading global provider of personal wireless technology with
capabilities including Bluetooth, FM, GPS and Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11
a,b,g,n), has received working 65nm silicon using their new nanometer
design flow, which incorporates advanced Design-for-Manufacturing (DFM)
methods using the Calibre([R]) DFM platform. Applying the full range of
Calibre DFM solutions to its latest product, CSR was able to
successfully tape-out at 65nm. CSR plans to use the same DFM solutions
to quickly move to even more advanced RFCMOS processes nodes.

"CSR is moving to the most advanced process nodes at a very
rapid pace, so we're employing sophisticated DFM practices to
ensure our designs are more robust over the process window, and to
eliminate manufacturing surprises late in the development cycle,"
said Chris Ladas, an Executive Director of parent company CSR plc and
Senior Vice President of Operations at CSR. "We're extremely
pleased with the results we achieved on our most recent RFCMOS 65nm
design, which employed a full range of DFM methods including Calibre
tools."

CSR is adopting the complete Calibre DFM solution, which includes
litho process checking with the Calibre LFD[TM] tool, critical area
analysis (CAA) with Calibre YieldAnalyzer, CMP analysis and intelligent
metal fill with Calibre CMPAnalyzer and Calibre YieldEnhancer, and
critical feature analysis (CFA) using Calibre nmDRC with Equation-based
DRC. All of these products are supported by design kits from TSMC,
CSR's foundry of choice. By using these tools to identify areas of
the physical design that are sensitive to manufacturing process
variations, and then making changes to remove these sensitivities, CSR
is able to improve the robustness of their designs across the process
window. A more robust design helps ensure first time working silicon,
minimizes the potential for manufacturing surprises, and enables a
faster ramp to volume production.

"We worked extensively with Mentor to define a collaborative
roadmap for the introduction of a DFM methodology and support tooling to
meet CSR's specific objectives," said Mark Redford, Vice
President of Advanced Process Technology Development at CSR. "This
is a strategic initiative for us because we see DFM as a competitive
advantage. It's a way for us to get more advanced, higher
performance products to market more quickly and with no manufacturing
hitches late in the product development cycle. To do this effectively,
you need a DFM-aware design flow that integrates accurate information
about the target manufacturing process."

"Consistent with the TSMC DFM Compliance Initiative, the
Calibre DFM platform provides an efficient way to incorporate the
valuable TSMC data into a customer's physical design flow which is
an integral part of our Open Innovation Platform(TM), helping designers
to innovate and achieve silicon success," said S.T. Juang, Senior
Director of Design Infrastructure Marketing at TSMC. "TSMC is
confident that our DFM compliant program, supported by EDA tools, will
continue to show increasing value to key fabless partners like
CSR."

"We've worked closely with CSR and TSMC to realize our
mutual vision of how engineers can use DFM to design and manufacture
more competitive IC products," said Joseph Sawicki, Vice President
and General Manager for the Design-to-Silicon division at Mentor
Graphics. "We are pleased with the first time working Silicon
obtained by CSR at the 65nm process node. It is a clear demonstration of
the value proposition of the Calibre DFM platform."

About Mentor Graphics

Mentor Graphics Corporation (NASDAQ:MENT) is a world leader in
electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products,
consulting services and award-winning support for the world's most
successful electronics and semiconductor companies. Established in 1981,
the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of about $800
million and employs approximately 4,500 people worldwide. Corporate
headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon
97070-7777. World Wide Web site: http://www.mentor.com/.

(Mentor Graphics and Calibre are registered trademarks and LFD is a
trademark of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company or product
names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective
owners).

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